Col. Hector MacNeil, Bladen County
MacNeil, whom Caruthers refers to as “one-eyed Hector,” was one of the most well-known and influential
of the southeastern North Carolina loyalists, commanding those in the Drowning Creek area. In 1775 he
actually held a commission as Continental lieutenant, apparently resigning, like Barfield, due to lack of
promotion and advancement. We know of him taking the field as a loyalist as early as September. 1780,
and from that point on he was regularly active in combating the nearby whigs. Although his name doesn’t
actually come up that frequently, references to the Drowning Creek loyalists do, and it is reasonable to
assume that he was involved in their activities most, if not all, of the time. At some point by at least the
late summer of 1781, MacNeil had joined forces with David Fanning, and took part in the capture of
Governor Thomas Burke at Hillsborough on September 12th, 1781. He lost his life, however, the next day
in the battle at Lindley’s Mill.